Price Hike: Cement manufacturers using court injunction to delay probe –Reps

The Joint Committee House of Representatives Committee investigating the ‘Arbitrary Increases in the Prices of Cement’ has accused cement manufacturers of hiding under a court injunction to scuttle the ongoing probe by the committee.

Chairman of the committee, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Solid Minerals, Rep. Jonathan Gaza Gefbwi, stated this at the resumed sitting of the committee on Monday.

He noted that the cement manufacturers had refused to honour their invitation for the second time.

Rep. Gefbwi warned that they should desist from using frivolous court injunction to interfere or halt the ongoing investigation by the House.

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The committee chairman disclosed that the Committee on Solid Minerals had received a letter from Tunji Abayomi and Co; the representatives of the Nigeria Employees Consultative Association (NECA), who claimed representation for all witnesses summoned.

He said, the letter rreferred to the court ruling of the Federal High Court FHC/ABJ/CS/458/2012 which is being reviewed by the Supreme Court under SC/458/2017.

He said, “I want to first underline that these rulings are about a separate hearing conducted in the 9th Assembly by the House Committee on Labour and Productivity and House Committee on Interior.

“It is the preceding ruling of the Supreme Court. It is equally to address the flagrant misuse of the judiciary to delay, interrupt or interfere with the legislative process”.

According to him, the manufacturers’ refusal to appear before the committee is an affront to the powers of the National Assembly as enshrined in Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and sections 4 and 7 of the Legislative Houses Powers and Priviledges Act.